Poinsettia Plant Named &#39;PER1295&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1295’, characterized by its uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely and upright branching habit; very dark green-colored leaves; early flowering response; large inflorescences with crimson-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘PER1295’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER1295’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact Poinsettia plants with darkgreen-colored leaves, large inflorescences with dark red-colored flowerbracts, early flowering response, good cyathia retention and excellentpost-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in December, 2004 of a proprietary selection of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 03-149-4, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 04-277-1, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Lompoc, Calif. in December, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lompoc, Calif. sinceJuly, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettiaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generationsof asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘PER1295’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘PER1295’ as a new and distinct Poinsettiaplant:

1. Uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.

2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely and upright branching habit.

4. Very dark green-colored leaves.

5. Early flowering response; under natural season conditions, plantsflower in mid-November in Southern California.

6. Large inflorescences with crimson-colored flower bracts.

7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lompoc, Calif., plants of thenew Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the female parentselection in flower bract shape and size as plants of the new Poinsettiahave broader flower bracts than plants of the female parent selection.In addition, plants of the female parent selection shed pollen one weeklater than plants of the new Poinsettia.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lompoc, Calif., plants of thenew Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selectionin plant size as plants of the new Poinsettia are more compact thanplants of the male parent selection. In addition, plants of the newPoinsettia had larger cyathia than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘Eckadire’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,846.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lompoc, Calif., plants of thenew Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Eckadire’ in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Poinsettia was not as vigorous as plants of‘Eckadire’.

2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves thanplants of ‘Eckadire’.

3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker red-colored flower bractsthan plants of ‘Eckadire’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia plant. The photograph at the bottom of the sheetcomprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of‘PER1295’ grown in a container. The photograph at the top of the sheetis a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER1295’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the followingdetailed description were grown during the late autumn/early winter in16.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas,Calif. and under natural season conditions and cultural practicestypical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production ofthe plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperaturesaveraged 18° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 foot-candles.Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were 17 weeks oldwhen the photographs and the description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1295’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 03-149-4, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 04-277-1, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at 20° C.            night temperature and 27° C. day temperature.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            20° C. night temperature and 27° C. day temperature.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright and mounded plant            habit; inverted triangle; large inflorescences positioned            above the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 38 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 56 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about six lateral branches develop after pinching.            Length: About 32 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Internode length:            About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;            luster, somewhat glossy. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 10.8 cm. Width: About 7.4 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Rounded to nearly truncate. Margin: Entire;            not lobed. Aspect: Flat. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate.            Texture, upper surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture, lower            surface: Pubescent. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:            Darker than 139A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to            137A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than            139A, almost black; venation, close to 146B. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to            147C. Petioles: Length: About 5.4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: Close to 187B. Color, lower surface: Close to            183B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Terminal inflorescences are            compound corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts            subtending the cyathia; inflorescences uniformly positioned            above the foliar plane.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—Early season flowering response; under            natural season conditions, plants typically flower in            mid-November in Southern California; under artificial long            nyctoperiod/short photoperiod conditions, plants flower            within about 8 to 8.5 weeks.        -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;            plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and            flower bract color for about four weeks under interior            conditions; inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 33 cm.        -   Inflorescence height (depth).—About 7.5 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 22. Length,            largest bracts: About 15.8 cm. Width, largest bracts: About            11.4 cm. Shape: Broadly lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base:            Obtuse. Margin: Entire; not lobed. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; veins prominent on lower            surface. Aspect: Mostly horizontal to slightly drooping with            development. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color:            Developing or transitional bracts, upper surface: Close to            59A to 59B; along midvein, close to 139A. Developing or            transitional bracts, lower surface: Close to 147B tinted            with close to 185B. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface:            Close to 53A; venation, close to 53A; color fading slightly            closer to N34A with development. Fully expanded bracts,            lower surface: Close to 53B; venation, close to 53B; color            fading slightly closer to N34A with development. Bract            petioles: Length: About 4.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 185A.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 15. Length: About            1.1 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, immature: Close to 146A. Color, mature:            Close to 146A to 146B.        -   Nectaries.—Quantity per cyathium: Typically one. Length:            About 5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 15A to 15B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to slightly            outwardly. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About            five. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to            59A. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: About            1 mm. Anther color: Close to 59A. Amount of pollen: Scarce.            Pollen color: Close to 9A. Pistils: Pistil development has            not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Poinsettia plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about    29° C.    It is claimed:

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1295’ as illustratedand described.